Water-gage for steam-boilers.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

T. W. RUDD. WATER GAGE FOR STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1901.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1. F10. 5.

30 MODEL;

THE uunms FEYERS (1a., marauma. wnsnmn'ron. n. cy

PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

T. W. RUDD. v WATER GAGE FORSTBAM BOILERS.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 17, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

THE Monms virus :0. PHoT o-urnu, wAsMmm'oN, B4 c,

UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS \VILLIAM RUDD, OF BELFAST, IRELAND.

WATER-GAGE FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,410, dated March 10, 1903.

7 Application filed July 17,1901. Serial No. 68,579. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I,THOMAS W ILLIAM RUDD, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Parkview, Ardenlee avenue, Ravenhill road, Belfast, Ireland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water-Gages for Steam-Bilers, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a water-gage constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line X X, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4. is a similar section on the line Y Y, Fig. 2, looking upward. Fig. 5 is a section on the line Z Z, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line W W, both of Fig. 2. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are diagrams showing the positions of the ports under varying conditions, which will be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

This invention relates to that class of watergage for steam-boilers in which both the wa ter and steam cooks are operated at the same time and by one handle, whereby the useof three separate cocks is obviated and the inconveniences arising from this arrangement are prevented.

To this end the invention consists in the special construction of the gage, so that the difiiculties hitherto experienced in this class of gage will be overcome, the object being to simplify the construction and to avoid the twisting strain on the gage-glass, which renders it liable to break.

In carrying out this invention fittings to receive the ends of what may be termed a carrier for the gage-glass are provided and secured to the front of the boiler in the same vertical line in any convenient manner. These fittings are formed each with'a throughpassage and are cored out and ground to receive the ground-down ends of the gage-glass carrier. This carrier consists of a tube into which thegage-glass is fitted and made water and steam tight by stuffing-boxes or in any other convenient manner. The tube ends are also made water and steam tight in the fittings by packing, and in the ends are ports for the passage of steam and water.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will now proceed to fully describe it, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

a a are the fittings, which are secured to the boiler-front (indicated by the straight line in Fig. 2) in any convenient manner. These fittings are simple castings with a longitudinal or horizontal passage and a transverse or vertical passage cored out or otherwise conveniently formed. The vertical passage is ground out to receive the grounddown ends of a tubular carrier 1), which are made water and steam tight in the fittings by packing c c and the screw-plugs or annular nuts 0 c.

d is the gage-glass, which is fitted into and made water and steam tight in the carrier 1) by packing f, glands f, and bolts or screws f or in any other convenient manner. The carriers 1) are bored out to receive the gageglass and to form passages, and in the walls are formed ports I? b" for the passage of steam and water, respectively.

Attached to the lower end of the carrier 1) is a gallery h to receive an inclosing glass cylinder h, (shown in dotted lines,) which will protect the hand of the attendant when turning off the gage should the gage-glass break from any cause while in use.

j is a handle secured to the under side of the gallery h or in any other convenient manner, and this handle j is provided with a spring catch or stop 7 is, which takes into notches Zon the under edge of the fixed packing-nut 0, whereby the position of the handle j may be adjusted and held.

n is a ball-valve which rests in the cup 0, carried by a stem connected with the screwplug 0, the said ball constituting a safety device for use in case of the glass breaking. This device is common in this class of apparatus, and therefore does not need further description. It is not an essential feature of the present invention, but it is mentioned by way of precaution only.

To work the apparatus, the carrier 1) is rotated by means of the handle j, which will be moved into one of the positions shown by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4, which positions will be designated as A A A A. These positions will correspond to the positions of the carrier ends, (shown in the diagrams Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10.) In these diagrams theupper one applies to the top or steam end of the gage and the lower one to the bottom or water end. Thus A will be the working position, and the ports I) b" in the ends of the carrier will be open to both water and steam. (See Figs. 5, 6 and 7.) A will be the closed or shut-off position (see Fig. 8) when all passages, both inlet and outlet, for both steam and water will be closed. A will be the position for blowing through steam (see Fig. 9) when a steam-port b will be open and the water-port I) closed, but a port 13 open to outlet p, so that the steam will enter through port I) and pass down the gage-glass and out through port 1) in the bottom end of the carrier b. A shows the position for blowing through water (see Fig. 10) when steam-inlet b will be closed, but an inlet-port b and outlet port 19 for water, open so that the water will pass out by the passage 1) without passing to the glass, the water from which will also be drawn ofl. At the steam end will be provided a port q, exactly opposite an inlet 12, for the purpose of inserting a tool from the outside to clear out the steam-passage in the fitting a in case of need, (see Figs. 2 and 5,) which passage is usually closed by a screwplug'r or in any other convenient manner. 8 s are recesses to receive packing to keep the ends of the carrier 1) steam and water tight.

Portions of the carrier 1) are cut away to therein, a gage-glass fitted steam and water tight in the carrier, means for maintaining the carrier ends steam and water tight in the fittings, and a handle connected to the carrier for axially moving the carrier, all as herein shown and described and for the purpose of obviating all twisting strain on the gageglass, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, at Belfast, Ireland," in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

this 27th day of June, 1901.

THOMAS WILLIAM RUDD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR NORMAN OHARLEY, JOSEPH ALPHONSUS TIERNAN. 

